Method for manufacturing high-density indium tin oxide target, methods for preparing tin oxide powder and indium oxide powder used therefor

ABSTRACT

A method for manufacturing an indium tin oxide (ITO) target and methods for preparing indium oxide powder (In 2 O 3 ) and tin oxide powder (SnO 2 ). The method for manufacturing an ITO (indium tin oxide) target includes preparing an In 2 O 3  powder having a surface area of about 10-18 m 2 /g and an average particle diameter of between about 40 to 80 nm; preparing a SnO 2  powder having a surface area of about 8-15 m 2 /g and an average particle diameter of about 60-100 nm; molding a mixture of the In 2 O 3  powder and the SnO 2  powder; and sintering the mixture at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The ITO target is applicable for a high-quality, transparent electrode for a display, such as a liquid crystal display, electroluminescent display, or field emission display.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/320,406, entitled, “INDIUM OXIDE POWDER, METHOD FOR PREPARING THE SAME, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING HIGH-DENSITY INDIUM TIN OXIDE TARGET,” and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/320,408, entitled, “TIN OXIDE POWDER, METHOD FOR PREPARING THE SAME, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING HIGH-DENSITY INDIUM TIN OXIDE TARGET,” both of which were filed on Dec. 17, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an indium tin oxide (ITO) target and methods for preparing indium oxide powder (In₂O₃) and tin oxide powder (SnO₂). More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a high-density ITO target which is used in vacuum deposition of a high-quality transparent electrode layer of a display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), electroluminescent (EL) display, and field emission display (FED), and methods for preparing indium oxide powder and tin oxide powder used in the manufacture of the high-density ITO target.

2. Description of the Related Art

Due to their conductivity and transparency with respect to visible light, ITO films with the composition of In₂O₃ and SnO₂ in a ratio of about 9:1 have been widely used as a transparent electrode film for an LCD, EL, or FED. In general, such an ITO film is coated on an insulating substrate such as a glass substrate by sputtering an ITO target. The ITO target is manufactured by molding ITO powder into a predetermined shape, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape, followed by sintering at a high temperature. To form a high-quality ITO film on the substrate by sputtering, the ITO target needs to have a high sintering density. If a low-density ITO target is used to form an ITO film by sputtering, nodules are easily generated on the target surface, thereby lowering the quality and yield of the resulting ITO film.

For this reason, a high-density ITO target is required to form a high-quality, transparent ITO electrode. To form such a high-density ITO target, ITO particles should be of an appropriate primary particle diameter. In general, the ITO particle diameter is inversely proportional to the target's sintering density. Therefore, the particle diameter should be reduced to increase the sintering density of the target. A method that is currently available for forming a high-density target having an approximately theoretical density is to reduce the particle diameter to a nano-scale. To manufacture a high-density target, it is important to adjust the ITO particle diameter to be uniform, as well as to reduce the particle diameter, for the following reasons. If a primary particle diameter of the ITO particles is too small, it is difficult to grind the particles after hydroxide calcination even though the driving force for sintering increases sufficiently for higher sintering density due to an increased specific surface area. It is also difficult to obtain a large molded body due to stress caused from the generation of many fine pores between the particles during target molding. In contrast, if a primary particle diameter of the ITO particles is too large, the fluidity and molding properties of the powder are improved, whereas the driving force for particle sintering is too low, so that pores between the particles become greatly enlarged, thereby increasing the energy requirement for removing the pores. For these reasons, to manufacture a high-density ITO target, the particle diameter should be fine and within a narrow range, and it should be easy to grind secondary particles.

A vapor phase method known for fine powder synthesis has been attracting attention as a method for nano-sized powder synthesis, but is limited to small-scale production of specific powder due to the difficulty of large-scale production. In this method, after powder synthesis, the particle diameter is reduced by grinding. In other words, the particle diameter of secondary particles rather than primary particles, which agglomerate to form the secondary particles, is controlled.

A liquid phase method has been used as a general method of large-scale powder production. Among other liquid phase methods, a precipitation method has been especially widely used to prepare ITO powder by precipitating metallic ions in a solution using a precipitant. In the precipitation method, the powder's characteristics are dependent upon the solution concentration, the reaction pH, the reaction temperature, the type of precipitant, the rate of adding a precipitant, etc.

The inventors of the present invention have discovered that the concentrations of the indium solution and tin solution are an important factor affecting the characteristics of the In₂O₃ powder and SnO₂ powder prepared by precipitation. However, none of the methods of the prior art have limited the concentration of the indium solution and tin solution for precipitation. As a result, until now, it has been highly difficult to control the surface area and average particle diameter of the In₂O₃ powder and SnO₂ powder even when controlling the pHs of the indium solution and tin solution, the temperature of precipitation reaction, the type of precipitant, the rate of adding the precipitant, etc. Accordingly, until now, it has been difficult to manufacture a high-density ITO target using the In₂O₃ powder and SnO₂ powder prepared by those methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a feature of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a high-density indium tin oxide (ITO) target having a sintering density approximate to a theoretical level.

It is another feature of an embodiment of the present invention to provide methods for preparing indium oxide (In₂O₃) powder and tin oxide (SnO₂) powder, both of which can be used in the manufacture of the high-density ITO target.

In order to provide the above features, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method of preparing an ITO target, comprising:

preparing an In₂O₃ powder having a surface area of about 10-18 m²/g and an average particle diameter of between about 40 to 80 nm; preparing a SnO₂ powder having a surface area of about 8-15 m²/g and an average particle diameter of about 60-100 nm; molding a mixture of the In₂O₃ powder and the SnO₂ powder; and sintering the mixture at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The mixture includes about 80-95% by weight of the In₂O₃ powder and about 5-20% by weight of the SnO₂ powder. The ITO target has a sintering density of greater than 7.0 g/cm³, more specifically a sintering density of about 7.0-7.15, approximate to a theoretical density level. The sintering temperature for the ITO target is from about 1,200° C. to about 1,600° C.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for preparing In₂O₃ powder, comprising: adding an alkaline precipitant to an indium solution having an indium ion concentration of about 2-5 M at room temperature, wherein the alkaline precipitant is added to the indium solution at a rate of about 0.5 L/min—about 4 L/min, while adjusting a pH of the indium solution to about 6-8 to form a In(OH)₃ precipitate; and calcining the In(OH)₃ precipitate at a temperature of between about 600° C. to about 1,100° C. to produce the In₂O₃ powder. The In₂O₃ powder preparation method may further include dissolving metallic indium in acid to form the indium solution. The In₂O₃ powder preparation method may further include dissolving an indium-containing salt in water to form the indium solution. In the present In₂O₃ powder preparation method, the indium-containing salt may include InCl₃ and/or In(NO₃)₃. In the present In₂O₃ powder preparation method, the alkaline precipitant may include NH4OH, NH₃ gas, NaOH, KOH, NH₄HCO₃, (NH₄)₂CO₃, and/or a mixture including at least two of the foregoing materials. The In₂O₃ powder preparation method may further include washing and drying the precipitate before calcining.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for preparing SnO₂ powder, comprising: preparing a tin solution by dissolving metallic tin in an acid, the tin solution consisting essentially of tin ions, other ions produced from the dissociation of the acid, molecules of the acid, and water, wherein the tin ions are in a concentration of about 0.5-2 M; allowing a tin hydroxide precipitate to precipitate from the tin solution at room temperature and aging the precipitate in the tin solution for about 1-24 hours; separating the precipitate from the tin solution; and calcining the separated precipitate at a temperature of about 400-900° C. to obtain the SnO₂ powder. In the present SnO₂ powder preparation method, the acid may include nitric acid and/or sulfuric acid, preferably a concentrated nitric acid and/or a concentrated sulfuric acid. The structural formula of the precipitate is Sn(OH)₂ and/or Sn(OH)₄. The SnO₂ powder preparation method may further comprise washing and drying the separated precipitate before the calcining.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides another method for preparing SnO₂ powder, comprising: preparing a tin solution by dissolving a tin-containing salt in water, the tin solution consisting essentially of tin ions, other ions produced from the dissociation of the salt, and water, wherein the tin ions are in a concentration of about 0.5-2 M; precipitating a precipitate of tin hydroxide by adding an alkaline precipitant to the tin solution at room temperature at a rate of about 0.5-3 L/min and adjusting the pH to about 3-7, and separating the precipitate from the tin solution; and calcining the separated precipitate at a temperature of about 400-900° C. to obtain the SnO₂ powder. In the method for preparing the SnO₂ powder in this embodiment of the present invention, the tin-containing salt may include SnF₄, SnCl₄, SnI₄, Sn(C₂H₃O₂)₂, SnCl₂, SnBr₂, SnI₂, and/or a mixture including at least two of the foregoing materials. The alkaline precipitant may include NH₄OH, NH₃ gas, NaOH, KOH, NH₄HCO₃, (NH₄)₂CO₃, and/or a mixture including at least two of the foregoing materials. Preferably, the NH₄OH is 28 wt % NH₄OH. The SnO₂ powder method may further comprise washing and drying the separated precipitate before calcining the precipitate, as in the method described above.

In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an ITO (indium tin oxide) target having a sintering density of greater than 7.0 g/cm³, more specifically a-sintering density of about 7.0-7.15, approximate to a theoretical density level. The ITO target is a resultant of sintering a mixture of an In₂O₃ powder having a surface area of about 10-18 m²/g and an average particle diameter of between about 40 to 80 nm and a SnO₂ powder having a surface area of about 8-15 m²/g and an average particle diameter of about 60-100 nm. The mixture may include about 80-95% by weight of the In₂O₃ powder and about 5-20% by weight of the SnO₂ powder.

With the ITO target provided according to the present invention, a high-quality transparent electrode for a display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), electroluminescent display (EL), such as organic light emitting diode (OLED), or field emission display (FED), may be easily manufactured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a flowchart for illustrating a method for preparing indium oxide (In₂O₃) powder according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a flowchart for illustrating first and second embodiments of a method for preparing tin oxide (SnO₂) powder according to the present invention; and

FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart for illustrating an embodiment of a method for manufacturing an indium tin oxide (ITO) target according to the present invention by mixing the In₂O₃ powder prepared by the method depicted in FIG. 1 with the SnO₂ powder prepared by the method depicted in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Korean patent application No. 2002-15609, filed on Mar. 22, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and entitled: “TIN OXIDE POWDER, METHOD FOR PREPARING THE SAME, AND METHOD FOR

MANUFACTURING HIGH-DENSITY INDIUM TIN OXIDE TARGET,” and Korean patent application No. 2002-15610, filed on Mar. 22, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and entitled: “INDIUM OXIDE POWDER, METHOD FOR PREPARING THE SAME, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING HIGH-DENSITY INDIUM TIN OXIDE TARGET,” are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated. The invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

As used herein, the expressions “at least one,” “one or more,” and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” includes the following meanings: A alone; B alone; C alone; both A and B together; both A and C together; both B and C together; and all three of A, B, and C together. Further, these expressions are open-ended, unless expressly designated to the contrary by their combination with the term “consisting of.” For example, the expression “at least one of A, B, and C” may also include a fourth member, whereas the expression “at least one selected from the group consisting of A, B, and C” does not.

A method for preparing the In₂O₃ powder, a method for preparing the SnO₂ powder, and a method for manufacturing an indium tin oxide (ITO) target using the In₂O₃ powder and the SnO₂ powder according to the present invention will now be described in detail.

The inventors of the present invention have discovered that fine, uniform, highly pure In₂O₃ powder suitable for a high-density ITO target may be prepared by systematically and accurately controlling the concentration of an indium solution as well as the temperature of precipitation reaction, the pH of the indium solution, the calcination temperature of In₂O₃ precipitate.

In preparing fine, uniform, highly pure In₂O₃ powder, the inventors of the present invention have discovered that the concentration of the indium solution is an important factor. According to the mechanism of particle formation by a precipitation method, precipitate nuclei are generated in a reaction solution with the addition of a precipitant. Precipitate nuclei collide and grow into primary particles. These primary particles generate nano-sized powder. In view of the precipitation mechanism, the solution concentration affects the number of precipitate nuclei during the precipitation and the probability of the nuclei colliding, and thus determines the size and shape of the particles. In particular, in a high-concentration reaction solution, precipitate nuclei are more likely to collide so that larger particles than those obtained by using a low-concentration reaction solution may be formed. Due to irregular collisions of particles, particles of a variety of shapes are precipitated. Spherical particles are favorable to increasing the density of a sintered ITO body. In this respect, the concentration of the indium solution is one of the most important factors in preparing In₂O₃ powder. When In₂O₃ powder is formed with the addition of a precipitant to an indium solution, particle shape and size are determined according to the initial concentration of indium. In one embodiment of the present invention, spherical In₂O₃ powder of a particular size and surface area, capable of being sintered into a high-density ITO target, is prepared by adjusting the initial concentration of indium ions in an indium solution.

The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a high-density ITO target by limiting the average particle diameter of SnO₂ powder to provide a maximum sintering density when mixed with the In₂O₃ powder of a particular size and surface area prepared by the following method according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, a method for preparing In₂O₃ powder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 depicts a flowchart for illustrating an embodiment of a method for preparing InO₃ powder according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, as a source material for the In₂O₃ powder, metallic indium or any suitable indium-containing salt, such as InCl₃, In(NO₃)₃, etc., may be used (Step 1). When metallic indium is used, an indium solution is obtained by dissolving the metallic indium in an acid such as a nitric acid. When an indium-containing salt is used, an indium solution is prepared by dissolving the indium-containing salt in distilled water (Step 3). The initial concentration of indium ions is controlled to about 2-5 M. If the concentration of indium ions is less than about 2 M, precipitation reaction time may be increased, and yield may be decreased. If the concentration of indium ions is greater than about 5 M, non-uniform particles may be produced because the precipitant may not be mixed smoothly due to thickening of the precipitate slurry during precipitation.

Next, an alkaline precipitant is added to the indium solution prepared as described above at room temperature to obtain In(OH)₃ precipitate (Step 5). Types of available alkaline precipitants are not limited. For example, NH₄OH, NH₃ gas, NaOH, KOH, NH₄HCO₃, (NH₄)₂CO₃, and/or a mixture including at least two of the foregoing materials may be used as the alkaline precipitant. Preferably, the alkaline precipitant is 28 wt % NH₄OH (28% by weight of ammonia (NH₃) in water) in that it helps achieve In₂O₃ powder of a particular and uniform particles size and spherical shape, capable of being sintered into a high-density ITO target.

The rate of adding the precipitant is adjusted to about 0.5-4 L/min. If the rate of adding the precipitant is less than about 0.5 L/min, precipitation reaction time may be increased. If the rate of adding the precipitant is greater than about 4 L/min, the precipitant may not be mixed thoroughly, causing partial precipitation, thereby resulting in non-uniform precipitate particles. The pH of the indium solution is adjusted to about 6 to 8. If the pH of the indium solution is less than about 6, the precipitate particles may be very small. The pH of the indium solution greater than about 8 may have an adverse effect on the environment due to excess hydroxyl (OH) groups. In an implementation, the pH of the indium solution may be adjusted to an acidic pH, i.e., below pH 7, where pH 7 is neutral (not acidic or basic). For example, the pH of the indium solution may be adjusted to an acidic pH of about 6 or above and below pH 7. In an implementation, the addition of the alkaline precipitant may be carried out at room temperature. In the meaning of the present invention, the room temperature denotes the temperature range of less than 35° C., preferably, about 10° C.-30° C., and more preferably, about 15° C.-25° C., unless specified otherwise.

Subsequently, the precipitate is aged, separated using a centrifuge, and washed (Step 7). The washed precipitate is dried in an oven (Step 9), ground, and calcined in an electric furnace (Step 11) to obtain In₂O₃ powder. The calcination temperature is adjusted to between about 600 to 1100° C. If the calcination temperature is lower than about 600° C., the average particle diameter of the In₂O₃ powder may be too small. If the calcination temperature is higher than about 1100° C., the In₂O₃ powder may be sintered.

With the In₂O₃ powder preparation method according to the present invention as described above, In₂O₃ powder having a surface area of about 10-18 m²/g and an average particle diameter of between about 40 to 80 nm when measured by a BET method may be obtained. If a surface area of the In₂O₃ powder measured by the BET method is less than about 10 m²/g (corresponding to an average particle diameter of about 80 nm), the primary average particle diameter may be too large to provide enough driving force for a high sintering density. If a surface area of the In₂O₃ powder is larger than about 18 m²/g (corresponding to an average particle diameter of about 40 nm), the primary average particle diameter may be too fine to mold the In₂O₃ powder. Accordingly, it may be difficult to achieve and obtain both a high molding density and a high sintering density.

Hereinafter, a method for preparing the SnO₂ according to the present invention will be described in detail.

In preparing fine, uniform, highly pure SnO₂ powder, the tin ion concentration of the tin solution is considered to be an important factor for the following reason. According to the mechanism of particle formation by a precipitation method, precipitate nuclei are generated in a reaction solution with the addition of a precipitant. Precipitate nuclei collide and grow into primary particles. These primary particles generate nano-sized powder. In view of the precipitation mechanism, the solution concentration affects the number of precipitate nuclei during the precipitation and the probability of the nuclei colliding, and thus determines the size and shape of the particles. In particular, in a high-concentration reaction solution, precipitate nuclei are more likely to collide so that larger particles than those obtained by using a low-concentration reaction solution may be formed. Due to irregular collisions of particles, particles of a variety of shapes are precipitated. Spherical particles are favorable to increase the density of a sintered ITO body. In this respect, concentration is regarded as one of the most important factors in preparing SnO₂ powder. When SnO₂ powder is formed with the addition of a precipitant to a tin solution, particle shape and size are determined according to the initial concentration of tin. In one embodiment of the present invention, spherical SnO₂ particles of a particular size and surface area, capable of being sintered into a high-density ITO target, are prepared by adjusting the initial concentration of tin ions in a tin solution. Comparing with a conventional method in which SnO₂ synthesis is followed by particle size control using a jet mill, the method for preparing SnO₂ powder according to the present invention is advantageous in that the SnO₂ powder of a particular average particle diameter and surface area for a high-density ITO target may be directly and conveniently synthesized.

FIG. 2 depicts a flowchart for illustrating first and second embodiments of a method for preparing SnO₂ powder according to the present invention. A first embodiment of the SnO₂ powder preparation method will be described first. Metallic tin is used as a source material (Step 1). Metallic tin is dissolved in an acid, such as a concentrated nitric acid and/or a concentrated sulfuric acid, to prepare a tin solution, from which a tin hydroxide precipitate, such as a Sn(OH)₂ and/or Sn(OH)₄, is obtained (Steps 3 and 5). The tin hydroxide precipitate is allowed to precipitate from the tin solution. SnO₂ powder of a desired size and surface area is obtained by adjusting the concentration of tin ions in the tin solution to about 0.5-2 M. If the concentration of the tin ions is less than about 0.5 M, precipitation reaction efficiency may be poor. If the concentration of the tin ions is greater than about 2 M, non-uniform particles may be produced due to thickening of the precipitate slurry during precipitation.

Next, the tin hydroxide precipitate is allowed to precipitate from the tin solution at room temperature and aged in the tin solution for about 1-24 hours, preferably for about 1-12 hours, separated by centrifugation, and washed (Step 7). Usually, it is sufficient for the ageing time to be in the range of about 1-4 hours. In fact, the inventors found that there is no problem in carrying out the preparation of the SnO₂ powder even when the ageing time is shortened to as short as about 1 hour. The washed precipitate is dried in an oven (Step 9), ground, and calcined in an electric furnace (Step 11) to obtain SnO₂ powder (Step 13). The calcination temperature is adjusted to about 400-900° C. If the calcination temperature is lower than about 400° C., the average particle diameter of the SnO₂ powder may be too small. If the calcination temperature is higher than about 900° C., the SnO₂ powder may be sintered.

Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the method for preparing SnO₂ powder according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2. A tin-containing salt, instead of metallic tin, is used as a source material (Step 1). Any suitable tin-containing salt soluble or decomposable in water, including SnF₄, SnCl₄, SnI₄, Sn(C₂H₃O₂)₂, SnCl₂, SnBr₂, SnI₂, and/or a mixture including at least two of the foregoing salts, may be used as a material for SnO₂ powder. In the second embodiment, an aqueous tin solution of the tin-containing salt in distilled water is used (Step 3). The initial concentration of tin ions is adjusted to about 0.5-2 M. Next, an alkaline precipitant is added to the aqueous tin solution at room temperature to obtain tin hydroxide precipitate (Step 5). The tin hydroxide precipitate may include, e.g., stannous hydroxide, Sn(OH)₂, and/or stannic hydroxide, Sn(OH)₄. The pH of the aqueous tin solution is adjusted to about 3-7 for the tin hydroxide precipitate. If the pH of the aqueous tin solution is less than 3, the precipitate particles may be very small. If the pH of the aqueous tin solution is greater than 7, an adverse effect on the environment due to excess hydroxyl (OH) groups may occur. The tin hydroxide precipitate is allowed to precipitate from the tin solution. As described above, no precipitant is necessary to obtain the precipitate in the first embodiment of the SnO₂ preparation method, whereas an alkaline precipitant is used to obtain the precipitate in the second embodiment. Types of available alkaline precipitants are not limited. For example, NH₄OH, NH₃ gas, NaOH, KOH, NH₄HCO₃, (NH₄)₂CO₃, and/or a mixture including at least two of these salts may be used as the alkaline precipitant. Preferably, the alkaline precipitant is 28 wt % NH₄OH in that it helps achieve SnO₂ powder of a particular and uniform particles size and spherical shape, capable of being sintered into a high-density ITO target. The rate of adding the precipitant is adjusted to about 0.5-3 L/min. If the rate of adding the precipitant is less than about 0.5 L/min, precipitation reaction time may be increased. If the rate of adding the precipitant is greater than about 3 L/min, the precipitant may not be mixed thoroughly, causing partial precipitation, thereby resulting in non-uniform precipitate particles. The following processes, including aging, separation, washing (Step 7), drying (Step 9), and calcination (Step 11) of the precipitant, to obtain the SnO₂ powder (Step 13), are the same as those performed in the first embodiment described above.

With the SnO₂ powder preparation method according to the first or second embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to conveniently prepare SnO₂ powder having a surface area of about 8-15 m₂/g and an average particle diameter of about 60-100 nm when measured by a BET method. If a surface area of the SnO₂ powder measured by the BET method is less than about 8 m²/g (corresponding to an average particle diameter of 100 nm), the primary average particle diameter may be too. large to provide enough driving force for a high sintering density. If a surface area of the SnO₂ powder is larger than about 15 m²/g (corresponding to an average particle diameter of 60 nm), the primary average particle diameter may be too fine to mold the SnO₂ powder. Accordingly, it may be difficult to achieve and obtain both a high molding density and high sintering density.

Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a high-density ITO target using the In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above by the method according to the present invention, which has a surface area of about 10-18 m²/g and an average particle diameter of between about 40 to 80 nm when measured by the BET method; and the SnO₂ powder prepared as described above by the method according to the present invention, which has a surface area of about 8-15 m²/g and an average particle diameter of about 60-100 nm when measured by the BET method, will be described.

FIG. 2 depicts a flowchart for illustrating a method for preparing a high-density ITO target by mixing the In₂O₃ powder with the SnO₂ powder prepared by the methods according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, about 80-95% by weight of the In₂O₃ powder prepared according to the present invention and about 5-20% by weight of SnO₂ powder prepared according to the present invention are mixed. The In₂O₃ powder has a surface area of about 5-18 m²/g, preferably 10-18 m²/g, when measured by the BET method. The SnO₂ powder has a surface area of between about 4 to 15 m²/g, preferably between about 8 to 15 m²/g, when measured by the BET method. The In₂O₃ and the SnO₂ are mixed by, for example, ball milling (Step 15). The resulting powder mixture is dried and molded into a rectangular parallelepiped target (Step 17). The molded product is thermally treated for sintering at between about 1,200 to 1,600° C. in a sintering furnace at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere to obtain an ITO target (Step 19). The characteristics of the final ITO target are evaluated by measuring, for example, the sintering density. If the sintering temperature is lower than about 1,200° C., it may be difficult to completely solidify the two oxides during the sintering, and the energy may be insufficient for a high sintering density. If the sintering temperature is above about 1,600° C., which is high enough for phase change and sintering of the oxides, the yield of the ITO target may decrease with increasing sintering duration because In₂O₃ and Sn₂ are volatile at high temperatures.

As described above, the method of forming a high-density ITO target according to the present invention may provide sintered ITO bodies with densities of about 7.0 to about 7.15 g/cm³, e.g., 7.08 to 7.14 g/cm³, which may be considerably higher than the densities of the sintered ITO bodies produced using conventional methods. Moreover, it is surprising that such a high-density ITO target can be obtained through a sintering process operating at atmospheric pressure.

The methods for preparing In₂O₃ powder and SnO₂ powder, and the method for manufacturing an ITO target according to the present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the following examples.

The following examples are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Synthesis of SnO₂ Powder

A method for synthesizing SnO₂ powder to be mixed with In₂O₃ powder and sintered to form ITO targets in the following examples 1 through 6 and comparative examples 1-7 is described herein. SnCl₄ was dissolved in 5 L of water to obtain a tin ion solution containing tin ions in a concentration of 1.0 M. 28 wt % NH₄OH precipitant was added to the solution at a rate of 1 L/min to obtain tin hydroxide precipitate. The tin hydroxide precipitate was aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed with distilled water. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 700° C. for 2 hours. The resulting SnO₂ powder had a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

EXAMPLE 1

A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃, equivalent to a final indium ion concentration of 2.5 M, was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 2 L/min at room temperature. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 8. The resulting precipitate was aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 700° C. for 2 hours. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 18 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape using a mold and sintered at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target of a 20-cm width, 15-cm length, and 1-cm height had a sintering density of 7.13 g/cm³.

EXAMPLE 2

In Example 2, 1436 g of metallic indium was completely dissolved in 5 L 60 wt %-nitric acid to obtain a 2.5 M In(NO₃)₃ solution. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 2 L/min at room temperature. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 8. The resulting precipitate was aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 800° C. for 2 hours. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 17 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape and sintered at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target of a 20-cm width, 15-cm length, and 1-cm height had a sintering density of 7.14 g/cm³.

EXAMPLE 3

A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃, equivalent to a final indium ion concentration of 2.5 M, was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 0.5 L/min at room temperature. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 8. The resulting precipitate was aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 800° C. for 2 hours. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 16 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape using a mold and sintered at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target of a 20-cm width, 15-cm length, and 1-cm height had a sintering density of 7.08 g/cm³.

EXAMPLE 4

A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃ was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water to obtain an indium solution having an indium ion concentration of 3.0 M. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 2 L/min at room temperature. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 7. The resulting precipitate was stirred, aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 800° C. for 2 hours. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 14 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape using a mold and sintered at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target of a 20-cm width, 15-cm length, and 1-cm height had a sintering density of 7.10 g/cm³.

EXAMPLE 5

A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃ was dissolved in distilled water to obtain an indium solution having an indium ion concentration of 2.5 M was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 2 L/min at room temperature. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 7. The resulting precipitate was stirred, aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 850° C. for 2 hours. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 11 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape using a mold and sintered at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target of a 20-cm width, 15-cm length, and 1-cm height had a sintering density of 7.13 g/cm³.

EXAMPLE 6

A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃ was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water to obtain an indium solution having an indium ion concentration of 2.5 M. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 1 L/min at room temperature. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 7. The resulting precipitate was stirred, aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 850° C. for 2 hours. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 12 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape using a mold and sintered at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target of a 20-cm width, 15-cm length, and 1-cm height had a sintering density of 7.12 g/cm³.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1

A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃ was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water to obtain an indium solution having an indium ion concentration of 1 M.

A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 2 L/min at room temperature. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 8. The resulting precipitate was stirred, aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 700° C. for 2 hours. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 25 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape using a mold and sintered at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target had a sintering density of 6.91 g/cm³.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2

A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃ was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water to obtain an indium solution having an indium ion concentration of 2.5 M. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 0.05 L/min at room temperature to obtain a precipitate. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 8. The resulting precipitate was stirred, aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 700° C. for 2 hours. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 30 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape using a mold and sintered at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target had a sintering density of 6.30 g/cm³.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 3

A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃ was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water to obtain an indium solution having an indium ion concentration of 2.5 M. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 2 L/min at room temperature. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 4. The resulting precipitate was stirred, aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 700° C. for 2 hours. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 23 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape using a mold and sintered at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target had a sintering density of 6.60 g/cm³.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 4

A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃ was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water to obtain an indium solution having an indium ion concentration of 2.5 M. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 2 L/min at room temperature to obtain a precipitate. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 8. The resulting precipitate was stirred, aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 500° C. for 2-hours. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 32 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape using a mold and sintered at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target had a sintering density of 6.48 g/cm³.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 5

A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃ was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water to obtain an indium solution having an indium ion concentration of 5.5 M. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 2 L/min at room temperature to obtain a precipitate. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 8. The viscosity of the slurry was high due to the high-concentration reaction solution. The resulting precipitate was stirred, aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 800° C. for 2 hours. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 4.5 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape using a mold and sintered at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target had a sintering density of 6.18 g/cm³.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 6

A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃ was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water to obtain an indium solution having an indium ion concentration of 2.5 M. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 2 L/min at room temperature to obtain a precipitate. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 8. The resulting precipitate was stirred, aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 1200° C. for 2 hours. Observation using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), after the calcination, indicated that the particles had grown significantly. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 4.3 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape using a mold and sintered. at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target had a sintering density of 6.51 g/cm³.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 7

A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃ was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water to obtain an indium solution having an indium ion concentration of 3.0 M. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 2 L/min at room temperature to obtain a precipitate. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 10. The resulting precipitate was stirred, aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. There was a strong ammonia smell during the wash. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground by ball milling. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 800° C. for 2 hours. Observation using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), after the calcination, indicated that the particles had grown significantly. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 31 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

The In₂O₃ powder prepared as described above and SnO₂ powder having a surface area of 10 m²/g when measured by the BET method were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded into a predetermined shape using a mold and sintered at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target had a sintering density of 6.67 g/cm³.

The main In₂O₃ powder preparation conditions and the sintering density of each of the ITO targets in examples 1 through 6 and comparative examples 1 through 7 are shown in Table 1. TABLE 1 Sintering Rate of Surface Particle Surface Particle Density Indium Precipitant Calcination Area of Diameter Area of Diameter of ITO Concentration Addition Reaction Temperature In₂O₃ of In₂O₃ SnO₂ of SnO₂ target Example (M) (L/min) pH (° C.) (m²/g) (nm) (m²/g) (nm) (g/cm³) Example 1 2.5 2 8 700 18 46 10 86 7.13 Example 2 2.5 2 8 800 17 49 10 86 7.14 Example 3 2.5 0.5 8 800 16 52 10 86 7.08 Example 4 3.0 2 7 800 14 60 10 86 7.10 Example 5 2.5 2 7 850 11 76 10 86 7.13 Example 6 2.5 1 7 850 12 70 10 86 7.12 Comparative 1.0 2 8 700 25 34 10 86 6.91 Example 1 Comparative 2.5 0.05 8 700 30 28 10 86 6.30 Example 2 Comparative 2.5 2 4 700 23 36 10 86 6.60 Example 3 Comparative 2.5 2 8 500 32 26 10 86 6.48 Example 4 Comparative 5.5 2 8 800 4.5 187 10 86 6.18 Example 5 Comparative 2.5 2 8 1,200 4.3 195 10 86 6.51 Example 6 Comparative 3.0 2 10 800 31 27 10 86 6.67 Example 7

According to the present invention, In₂O₃ powder may be prepared as in examples 1 through 6 by adjusting the concentration of the indium solution as well as the rate of adding the precipitant, the pH of the indium solution, and the calcination temperature and sintering the mixture. As is apparent from Table 1, by mixing SnO₂ powder with the In₂O₃ powder prepared according to the present invention, a high-density ITO target of above about 7.0 g/cm³ may be manufactured. Especially, in the case of examples 1, 2, 5, and 6, a very high sintering density, approximate to a theoretical density of 7.15 g/cm³, may be obtained for the ITO targets.

According to a preparation method of the present invention, it is possible to conveniently manufacture In₂O₃ powder having a uniform primary average particle diameter of 40-80 nm, which may be further ground into secondary particles of a size (D50 or D90) less than 1 μm. Through sintering after mixing SnO₂ powder of a uniform average particle diameter with the In₂O₃ powder prepared by the method according to the present invention, a high-density ITO target may be manufactured. The high-density ITO target according to the present invention is applicable for a high-quality, transparent electrode film for an LCD, EL, FED, etc. by sputtering in a vacuum.

Synthesis of In₂O₃ Powder

A method for synthesizing In₂O₃ powder to be mixed with SnO₂ powder and sintered to form ITO targets in the following examples 7 through 9 and comparative examples 8 and 9 is described herein. A predetermined amount of In(NO₃)₃, equivalent to a final indium ion concentration of 2.5 M, was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 2 L/min at room temperature. For this precipitation reaction, the pH of the solution was adjusted to 8. The resulting precipitate was aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 700° C. for 2 hours. The resulting In₂O₃ powder had a surface area of 18 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

EXAMPLE 7

In Example 1, 300 g metallic tin was placed in a 5-L beaker. The metallic tin was dissolved by adding 2.5L 60 wt % nitric acid into the beaker, while stirring, at room temperature. The resulting mixture had a tin ion concentration of 1.0 M. The tin hydroxide precipitate was aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed with distilled water. The precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, ground, and calcined in an electric furnace at 600° C. for 2 hours to produce SnO₂ powder. The resulting SnO₂ powder had a surface area of 14 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

In₂O₃ powder having a surface area of 18 m²/g when measured by the BET method and the SnO₂ powder prepared as described above were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded using a rectangular parallelepiped mold and sintered at 1,500° C. at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target of a 20-cm width, 15-cm length, and 1-cm height had a sintering density of 7.13 g/cm³.

EXAMPLE 8

A predetermined amount of SnCl₄, equivalent to a final tin ion concentration of 1.0 M, was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 1 L/min at room temperature. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 7. The resulting precipitate was aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 700° C. for 2 hours. The resulting SnO₂ powder had a surface area of 12 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

In₂O₃ powder having a surface area of 18 m²/g when measured by the BET method and the SnO₂ powder prepared as described above were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded using a rectangular parallelepiped mold and sintered at 1,500° C. at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target of a 20-cm width, 15-cm length, and 1-cm height had a sintering density of 7.14 g/cm³.

EXAMPLE 9

A predetermined amount of SnCl₄, equivalent to a final tin ion concentration of 1.5 M, was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 2 L/min at room temperature. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 7. The resulting precipitate was aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground using a hammer mill. The ground powder-was calcined in an electric furnace at 600° C. for 2 hours. The resulting SnO₂ powder had a surface area of 13 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

In₂O₃ powder having a surface area of 18 m²/g when measured by the BET method and the SnO₂ powder prepared as described above were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded using a rectangular parallelepiped mold and sintered at 1,550° C. at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target of a 20-cm width, 15-cm length, and 1-cm height had a sintering density of 7.12 g/cm³.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 8

A predetermined amount of SnCl₄, equivalent to a final tin ion concentration of 0.3 M, was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 1 L/min at room temperature. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 7. The resulting precipitate was aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground using a hammer mill. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 600° C. for 2 hours. The resulting SnO₂ powder had a surface area of 16 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

In₂O₃ powder having a surface area of 18 m²/g when measured by the BET method and the SnO₂ powder prepared as described above were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded using a rectangular parallelepiped mold and sintered at 1,550° C. at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target of a 20-cm width, 15-cm length, and 1-cm height had a sintering density of 6.58 g/cm³.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 9

A predetermined amount of SnCl₄, equivalent to a final tin ion concentration of 3.0 M, was dissolved in 5 L of distilled water. A precipitate was obtained by adding 28 wt % NH₄OH as a precipitant to the solution at a rate of 1 L/min at room temperature. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 7. The resulting precipitate was aged for 9-12 hours, separated using a centrifuge, and washed. The washed precipitate was dried at 100° C. in an oven, and the dried powder was ground using a hammer mill. The ground powder was calcined in an electric furnace at 600° C. for 2 hours. The resulting SnO₂ powder had a surface area of 3 m²/g when measured by the BET method.

In₂O₃ powder having a surface area of 18 m²/g when measured by the BET method and the SnO₂ powder prepared as described above were mixed in a weight ratio of 90:10. The powder mixture was molded using a rectangular parallelepiped mold and sintered at 1,550° C. at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere. The resulting ITO target of a 20-cm width, 15-cm length, and 1-cm height had a sintering density of 6.35 g/cm³.

The main SnO₂ powder preparation conditions and the sintering density of each of the ITO targets in examples 7 through 9 and comparative examples 8 and 9 are shown in Table 2. TABLE 2 Rate of Surface Surface Particle Sintering Tin Precipitant Calcination Area of Area of Diameter Density of concentration Addition Reaction Temperature In₂O₃ SnO₂ of SnO₂ ITO target Example (M) (L/min) pH (° C.) (m²/g) (m²/g) (nm) (g/cm³) Example 7 1.0 — — 600 18 14 62 7.13 Example 8 1.0 1 7 700 18 12 72 7.14 Example 9 1.5 2 7 600 18 13 66 7.12 Comparative 0.3 1 7 600 18 16 54 6.58 Example 8 Comparative 3.0 1 7 600 18 3 287 6.35 Example 9

According to the present invention, SnO₂ powder is prepared by adjusting the concentration of tin ions as well as the rate of adding the precipitant, the pH of the tin solution, and the calcination temperature, and sintering the mixture. As is apparent from Table 2, by mixing In₂O₃ powder with the SnO₂ powder prepared according to the present invention, a high-density ITO target of 7.12-7.14 g/cm³, which approximates to a theoretical density of 7.15 g/cm³, is obtained.

According to the SnO₂ powder preparation method of the present invention, it is possible to conveniently manufacture SnO₂ powder having a uniform primary average particle diameter of 60-100 nm, which may then be further ground into secondary particles of a size (D50 or D90) less than 10 μm. Through sintering after mixing In₂O₃ powder of a uniform average particle diameter with the SnO₂ powder prepared by the method according to the present invention, a high-density ITO target may be manufactured. The high-density ITO target according to the present invention is applicable in forming a high-quality, transparent electrode film for a LCD, EL, FED, etc. by sputtering in a vacuum.

While this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 

1. A method of preparing an ITO (indium tin oxide) target, comprising: preparing an In₂O₃ powder having a surface area of about 10-18 m²/g and an average particle diameter of between about 40 to 80 nm; preparing a SnO₂ powder having a surface area of about 8-15 m²/g and an average particle diameter of about 60-100 nm; molding a mixture of the In₂O₃ powder and the SnO₂ powder; and sintering the mixture at atmospheric pressure under oxidation atmosphere.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mixture includes about 80-95% by weight of the In₂O₃ powder and about 5-20% by weight of the SnO₂ powder.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ITO target has a sintering density of greater than 7.0 g/cm³.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sintering temperature for the ITO target is from about 1,200° C. to about 1,600° C.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein preparing the In₂O₃ powder includes: adding an alkaline precipitant to an indium solution having an indium ion concentration of about 2-5 M at room temperature, wherein the alkaline precipitant is added to the indium solution at a rate of about 0.5 L/min—about 4 L/min, while adjusting a pH of the indium solution to about 6-8 to form a In(OH)₃ precipitate; and calcining the In(OH)₃ precipitate at a temperature of between about 600° C. to about 1,100° C.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising dissolving metallic indium in acid to form the indium solution.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising dissolving an indium-containing salt in water to form the indium solution.
 8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the indium-containing salt includes InCl₃ and/or In(NO₃)₃.
 9. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the alkaline precipitant includes NH₄OH, NH₃ gas, NaOH, KOH, NH₄HCO₃, (NH₄)₂CO₃ and/or a mixture including at least two of the foregoing materials.
 10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the NH₄OH is 28 wt % NH₄OH.
 11. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising washing and drying the precipitate before calcining.
 12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein preparing the SnO₂ powder includes: preparing a tin solution by dissolving metallic tin in an acid, the tin solution consisting essentially of tin ions, other ions produced from the dissociation of the acid, molecules of the acid, and water, wherein the tin ions are in a concentration of about 0.5-2 M; allowing a tin hydroxide precipitate to precipitate from the tin solution at room temperature and aging the precipitate in the tin solution for about 1-24 hours; separating the precipitate from the tin solution; and calcining the separated precipitate at a temperature of about 400-900° C. to obtain the SnO₂ powder.
 13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the acid includes nitric acid and/or sulfuric acid.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the structural formula of the precipitate is Sn(OH)₂ and/or Sn(OH)₄.
 15. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising washing and drying the separated precipitate before the calcining.
 16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein preparing the SnO₂ powder includes: preparing a tin solution by dissolving a tin-containing salt in water, the tin solution consisting essentially of tin ions, other ions produced from the dissociation of the salt, and water, wherein the tin ions are in a concentration of about 0.5-2 M; precipitating a precipitate of tin hydroxide by adding an alkaline precipitant to the tin solution at room temperature at a rate of about 0.5-3 L/min and adjusting the pH to about 3-7, and separating the precipitate from the tin solution; and calcining the separated precipitate at a temperature of about 400-900° C. to obtain the SnO₂ powder.
 17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the tin-containing salt includes SnF₄, SnCl₄, SnI₄, Sn(C₂H₃O₂)₂, SnCl₂, SnBr₂, SnI₂, and/or mixture including at least two of the foregoing materials
 18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the alkaline precipitant includes NH₄OH, NH₃ gas, NaOH, KOH, NH₄HCO₃, (NH₄)₂CO₃, and/or a mixture including at least two of the foregoing materials.
 19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the NH₄OH is 28 wt % NH₄OH.
 20. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising washing and drying the separated precipitate before calcining the precipitate.
 21. An ITO (indium tin oxide) target having a sintering density of greater than 7.0 g/cm³.
 22. The ITO target as claimed in claim 21, wherein the target is a resultant of sintering a mixture of an In₂O₃ powder having a surface area of about 10-18 m²/g and an average particle diameter of between about 40 to 80 nm and a SnO₂ powder having a surface area of about 8-15 m²/g and an average particle diameter of about 60-100 nm.
 23. The ITO target as claimed in claim 22, wherein the mixture includes about 80-95% by weight of the In₂O₃ powder and about 5-20% by weight of the SnO₂ powder. 